Making It Big on Amazon?

Iwork at a rapidly expanding e-commerce business and keep on hearing about guys who are making it big selling on Amazon.

I’m tempted to go out on my own, but I wonder how profitable Amazon businesses truly are. Are these guys I hear about really doing so well? What does it take to start an Amazon business? What are the risks? And what’s the potential for doing well?

1. A Partner That Doesn’t Care

Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly about doing business on Amazon.

The good: 80 million customers with practically zero investment. You don’t need thousands of dollars to open a store or purchase inventory. You don’t even need a computer! All you need is a smart phone, a credit card to purchase goods, and an eye for what people will buy. That is unheard of in the history of commerce. You always needed lots of money to start a business. Now you don’t.